from what i here the mk4 2.2 175bhp power is brilliant even better mapped with the dpf removed but the mpg isn't as good

i have only ever drove one ford and that is my current car the mondeo mk3 tddi 115bhp and i can't fault it have it nearly 3 years, its currently on 142k and it drives like new the dmf was changed under warranty when i bought it so that saved me the money , if i knew at the time i would of went for a ghia x instead of zetec though am happy with it . the cars i drove before were a rover 220d(86bhp) and a mg zr td(115) and the mondeo is just in another league compared to them everything is better wish i went for a mk3 sooner

since i have had my mondeo my younger brother has had 5 cars all vag engines and one type r he's had to replace a engine in his type r replace turbos flywheels etc he has no luck with cars, every car he has to spend money on them and my tddi just keeps going driving fault free
he didn't rate the mondeo mk3 until he lent my car for the weekend a few weeks ago, hes a marine so hes only home the odd weekend so doesn't even need a car he loved it the power and handling for such a big car he understands now why i always say to him get a mondeo

i have never even sat in a mk4 yet so i can't compare the two so my arguement is only one sided

To put it into context, if I was offered an 07 mark 3 or an 08 mark 4, I wouldn't take the 4! Lol. I prefer the looks of the mark 3 aswell, the mark 4 is starting to turn into a bit of a chubber, a bit of a fatster! It's like its trying to be a modern Granada. Nothing wrong with the Granada, but I'd rather have had a more nimble Sierra.

Like GT I came from a ST TDCi which had a few tweaks and performed very well, engage 3rd gear and I could take on all comers
Never had any problems with the EGR or injectors on the MK3, all in all a very good package and still question why I sold a perfectly good car.

The ST TDCi had factory fitted sports suspension and 225/40/18's which gave a firm positive feel and road feedback was very good and handling for a car of its size was good.

The MK4 TXS with sports suspension and 235/40/18's handles great even at the edge of its envelope, but it is a heavy old barge and I imagine with standard suspension and 70 series tyres it must be a handful

Some owners complained bitterly about the hard ride and noise from the 18's but to be honest coming from the 18's on the STTDCi I didnt notice any difference.

Performance wise my MK3 power delivery was raw and loud (198.8 BHP / 462Nm) and I did engage with the car much more when navigating twisty A roads.... The only let down for me was the cold clattery starts in the winter reminded you a Transit lurked beneath the bonnet.

The MK4 2.2 with Bluefin (220BHP / 498Nm) is a different drive altogether and power delivery is very linear and some days can seem slow until you look at the speedo... funny how it goes like a rocket leaving fuel stations after filling up
Noise wise some days its hard to tell your driving a diesel with the PSA engine and so far no reliability issues with the engine.

Mk3 ST TDCi Wagon
Excellent heated seats
Excellent air conditioning & Heater (Ice cold in the summer & very hot in the winter)
Cabin layout was (and still is) very good and simple analogue dials with no firmware updates to worry about, but it is now dated.
Easy to park and gauge widths and bonnet length.

thanks for the info.
I've only had really short west drive in the 2.2 175 ti x sport and have ro say I was not exactly blown away.

bearing in mind the salesman on board it didn't really feel any quicker than my mk3 although I think that's down to the stronger bottom end pull making it feel like it never really gets going.
the speedo did tell a slightly different story though.

my mk3 130 had a real step in power delivery at about 2300 rpm making it feel quicker.

guess I have ro get an extended test drive...
hmmm anyone got a 200ps they care to lend me for a few hours?????

thanks for the info.I've only had really short west drive in the 2.2 175 ti x sport and have ro say I was not exactly blown away.

bearing in mind the salesman on board it didn't really feel any quicker than my mk3 although I think that's down to the stronger bottom end pull making it feel like it never really gets going.the speedo did tell a slightly different story though.

my mk3 130 had a real step in power delivery at about 2300 rpm making it feel quicker.

guess I have ro get an extended test drive...hmmm anyone got a 200ps they care to lend me for a few hours?????

I've gone from an ST TDCI MK3 to a MK 4 Tit x 140 tdci. Whilst the mk3 had a much better feel when winding through the A Roads and had a lot more grunt, the refinery and comfort of my mk4 is far more advanced I found. I have the IDVC suspension on mine, and in sport mode, it is incredibly responsive through the steering wheel and feels a lot more like my MK3. Having said that, I find myself driving the car in a far different way anyway over the St, but I'm over the moon with my mk4 and I'm sure you will be too.

It is a larger car, so it does feel more unwieldy in tight spaces (although the turning circle is smaller in the Mk4) and on a country lane you find yourself squeezing your shoulders in when a car comes the other way. But it rides better, grips just as well, and is more composed on bumpy fast corners. It's not as nimble as a Mk3 though, although you can adjust your driving style to suit the Mk4s strengths.

Performance wise the Mk4 feels less quick but that's largely because it's more 'dampened'. Against the clock the Mk4 140 is quicker to 60 than a Mk3 130 - but midrange I would expect the Mk3 to have the edge as it has more torque (243 v 236lb/ft)

Make sure you drive one to make YOUR OWN mind up, as this thread demonstrates that different people want very different things from cars, and have different likes, dislikes, and criteria.

I did, only 2 weeks perhaps, but I put it through its paces, and yes, it excels on a lot of fronts, but for sheer driving pleasure, and driver involvement, the Mark 3 is an out and out winner. Obviously this is my opinion and no one else's. And the Mark 3 is no slouch at GT across Europe. As I found in my last 52 reg Mondy. The Mosel valley, to Staffordshire, 650 miles, still had a little fuel left and I wasn't hanging about. Apart from the ferry, I didn't stop at all, and was fresh as a daisy when I arrived home.
Really peed me off in Germany though. Just short of 130 on the speedo and cars were whizzing past me like I was standing still. Was immense fun though.